According to the FDA, natural flavors are flavoring agents that are created from substances extracted from plant or animal sources, such as spices, fruit or fruit juice, vegetables or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herbs, bark, buds, root leaves, or plant material. These flavoring agents are added to processed foods to enhance their taste. However, the term "natural flavors" can be misleading because it does not have a formal definition, and food manufacturers are not required to disclose whether these additives come from natural or synthetic sources. Both natural and artificial flavors contain added chemicals, and there is not much of a difference between them since natural flavors can contain dozens of other ingredients like preservatives and solvents. Flavor manufacturers do not have to disclose their ingredients, and they can add synthetic solvents, preservatives, emulsifiers, carriers, and other additives to a flavor that qualifies as natural under current regulations. Therefore, it is difficult to determine whether natural flavors are good or bad for health since they can contain a wide variety of ingredients.